Perfect Imperfection
by the.brown.eyed.girl
Summary: Sasuke Uchiha had never had a friend before. Then along came Hatake Kimiko, his sensei's younger sister. The small girl changed Sasuke's life forever, turning his heart inside out.


Memo: Here's a Sasuke one-shot for you guys. I love this boy too much. Almost as much as I love Dei-kun. This is sort of short, and for that I'm sorry. I hope you like it!

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto. However, I do own Kimiko Hakate. So don't touch.**

* * *

Sasuke could clearly remember the day he had first Kimiko. In fact, the young boy could remember every day he had spent in her presence since. Kimiko was different from all the other girls in this town. After all, she had never asked him to marry her, or chased after him on a crowded street. Instead, she was always fighting something, fighting for something. Sasuke admired that about her, the small girl that was forever fighting.

* * *

_"I hate this! I hate it! I hate you! Out of the things I hate, it's you I hate the most! Don't even bother coming after me this time, got it? I __**hate**__ you!"_

_There was the sound of a door slamming on its hinges and small feet running as fast as they could away from wherever they were. From inside the small apartment, Sasuke could hear someone sighing. There was a slight creaking of weight on a mattress before a sullen silence._

_"All right Sasuke," a voice called from inside. "Come on in. although I'm afraid whatever you came for is going to have to wait."_

_Blinking slightly, the avenger stuffed his hands deep within his pockets. Sasuke had come here to ask his sensei for further training. He hadn't expected to interrupt anything as personal as that. Did Kakashi-sensei have a fight with a girlfriend or something? _

_Hesitantly, Sasuke entered the small dwelling._

_His sensei looked up at him as Sasuke entered his house. Kakashi's one visible eye was weary and sad. It was the first time Sasuke could ever remember seeing the older man in such a state. "It'd be suicide if I went after her now." Kakashi sighed once more, running a hand through his messy hair. ''She'd kill me for sure. Sasuke as your sensei I'm asking you for a favor. "_

_''Hn.'' was Sasuke's reply. He had to admit his interest was peaking._

_"Bring Kimiko home, please. She's the only family I've got."_

* * *

That was two years ago. He was now 13, and the Chuunin exams were drawing near. Kimiko was over again, as was normal these days. Sasuke let his eyes wander towards the couch where the young Hatake lay asleep. The only friend the young prodigy would admit to having, Kimi was a small little thing. Just over 5'3'', she didn't take up much space. Like the older brother she claimed to hate so much Kimi had long silver hair coupled with dark brown eyes. Her little, lithe body stretched and rearranged itself on Sasuke's couch as the youths eyes soften slightly.

More memories rushed into his head.

* * *

_"Come on Ino-chan," Choji's whining voice drifted to Sasuke on a breeze. "Just one bite! I promise I won't take much!"_

_"Liar! Last time you said that, I never got anything back." Ino's annoyed reply didn't need a breeze for the boy to hear it. That girl had lungs._

_As he rounded one of Kohona's many corners, Sasuke could clearly see team Assume walking towards him. Ino and Shoji were at the front, Ino holding a lunch high above her head and Choji jumping up and down waving his arms in the air. A boy Sasuke's mind registered as Shikamaru but to whom he'd never spoken to walked a few paces behind, arms behind his head. And somewhere in-between the three, a short lively head of silver hair. Sasuke's heart soared._

_Turning, the girl spotted his approach. A smile graced her dainty features. "Sasuke-kun!" Kimiko cried, running towards him. "We're back!"_

_"Don't stop me Kakashi! You got that? I don't want you to stop me!"_

_Kakashi's apartment door slammed and Sasuke leaped in to action. He had been doing this for a while. Kakashi called it 'reconnaissance' but Sasuke just said he was preventing suicide. It worked like this. Every time Kimiko and Kakashi would fight, the girl would end up leaving. Sasuke was to follow her and make sure she didn't go too far. It often ended up with Kimi asleep on his couch. The boy wasn't sure if Kimi knew of her nii-san and her best friend's agreement, but she was never surprised when he showed up._

_Several minutes later, Sasuke found his friend in a large meadow. She was sitting with her small legs drawn up to her chest. Tucking her chin over her knees, Kimi greeted her friend in a forlorn manner._

_"Why do you always follow me Sasuke? You could just let me run away and then you wouldn't have to talk to me anymore."_

_Sasuke scoffed lightly as he plopped himself down next to the girl. "And why the hell would I want to __**that**__ Hatake?" He looked at her out of the corner of his eye._

_"Because I'm useless." Kimi said coldly. "I'll never be anything like Kakashi so why bother. I should just die."_

_Sasuke drew back, his eyes narrowing. Who had let her think this? Kimi would never be useless. Didn't she know this? Didn't she know how much she meant to him?_

_"You're not useless Kimiko. What made you think that?"_

_"Yes I am!" The young Hatake was almost hysterical now. As Sasuke looked closer, he could tell she had been crying before she found him. "Kakashi's a genius for gods sake! Chuunin at age 6, Jounin at age 13, he's got Obito's Sharigan and has his own page in the Black Book. What do I have Sasuke? Nothing! I'm not even a Chuunin yet! I can't do anything without having it compared to Kakashi's abnormal achievements! You don't know what it's like Sasuke!"_

_Sasuke lapsed into silence. Yes, he did know what it felt like to be deemed second best of siblings. To have no one notice when you did something special. It had been that way with Itachi. After all, his older brother had been accepted as an ANBU captain at age 12. He certainly knew what it felt like._

_"I know what it's like Kimi." Sasuke said quietly._

_Hiccupping, Kimiko looked up at his, stunned._

_"And it doesn't matter if you're perfect. I don't care. Now will you please come home?" Sasuke said, standing up and offering Kimi his hand. The stunned girl took it as the walked back towards the Uchiha compound._

_'Hatake Kimiko, my perfect imperfection.'_

* * *

_Kimiko tugged Sasuke through the colorful market, excited and bouncy as ever. "It's almost Christmas time Sasuke! Aren't you excited too?" She turned to face him now, her eyes lively with anticipation._

_"No." the avenger replied flatly. "Christmas is just another day Kimi. There's nothing special about it."_

_Kimi drew back. It was as if Sasuke had delivered a psychical blow to her. Hurt filled her eyes. The girl wanted so badly to make him understand, but couldn't think up a way to do so. After all, Kakashi didn't let her bring boys home, so she couldn't share the joy her small family of two experienced. All she wanted was to see him happy._

* * *

"Wakie, wakie eggs and bakie!"

A small, happy voice from his couch brought Sasuke back from his memories. How long had he been asleep?

"You sound happy." Sasuke mumbled, running a hand through his hand. He was surprisingly tired.

"Yeah," Kimiko said as she stretched. "Well I've been busy."

Suspicion grew in the corners of Uchiha's mind. What was this girl up to now? Last time she had said that, he'd found two horses and goat running lose in his backyard. "What did you do?"

"While you were in an effing **coma**," Kimi said as she began to pull Sasuke out of his barren room. "I had my fun, err...rearranging...your house."

Sasuke froze. "Hatake Kimiko, what did you do to my house?!"

The youngest Hatake pouted at him innocently. "Gees Sasuke! Anger management much? I just put a few things up..." She trailed off as they finally managed to reach his living room.

The place looked like a scene from a holiday movie. The fake tree his O-too-san had insisted on buying years ago was up in the corner. Kimi had had fun putting up the lights and ornaments; the tree was almost bending under their weight. Tinsel and holly donned the tables and windowsills. Huge paper snowflakes littered the ceiling. From here Sasuke could tell she had done the same to the rest of his house.

"Merry Christmas Sasuke." She said shyly, stepping back a few paces.

Sasuke just stood there for a second, too stunned to speak. He hadn't celebrated Christmas since his family had died. What in this world had made this girl think he wanted to do it now?

Looking over at Kimi, Sasuke knew he'd already given in. Something in his heart would die if he hurt her. It was the same thing that made him worry when she ran away, that made him determined to bring her back no matter what. Sasuke hadn't felt this way about anyone since the massacre, and it was kind of nice. To think the sister of a pervert could enamor him this way.

"Thank you Kimi." He said quietly, walking towards her. "It's perfect." 'You're perfect.' was what he wanted to say.

Kimi blushed as he drew closer. Clearing her throat slightly, she managed a feeble,

"Umm...Sasuke?" Before pointing upwards.

Over their heads was a small bundle of a holly-like plant. Mistletoe. Sasuke smirked slightly. Perfect.

* * *

Remember the Rabid Review Rabbit! He loves you

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